


You Know, We've Never Discussed It

by allmilhouse



Category: The Simpsons
Genre: Dancing, Handholding, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-11 23:58:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13535307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allmilhouse/pseuds/allmilhouse
Summary: Carl Carlson knew a lot of things, but he didn’t know for sure how Lenny Leonard felt about him.





	You Know, We've Never Discussed It

Carl Carlson knew a lot of things. He was equally adept at nuclear physics and at slacking off. Despite being a single, childless drunk, he could constantly offer Homer quality marriage and parenting advice. He was even the most level-headed during bar bets and outlandish wagers. But he didn’t know for sure how Lenny Leonard felt about him.

He could easily guess. The two men had been inseparable since elementary school. They grew up best friends, and still worked together everyday, in addition to hitting up Moe’s every night. They went to sports games and rock concerts, town hall meetings and church together. The became buddhists together, and mediated weekly. One magical summer they spent in the desert, as Lenny carved his face into a mountain and named it Mt. Carlmore. He even travelled all the way to Iceland, never once believing that Carl had swindled their lottery winnings.

So Carl was pretty sure that to Lenny, he was the most important person alive. But he still had some doubts. He was technically European, after all, and knew that close male friendship can exist without romantic feelings. And Lenny definitely relied on friends quite a bit- what with his repeated eye injuries, and the fact he moved so often, Lenny needed to be able to rely on good friends, and worked hard to repay any kindnesses. Plus there was the other time he won the lottery, and used the scratch-off winnings to throw a party for his friends, and wound up inviting half the town.

Maybe he was everyone’s friend. Yeah, that must be it, Carl told himself as he walked into Moe’s one Friday night. The dusty bar was occupied by the regulars- Homer, Barney, Sam down at the other end- and Lenny, with his usual stool right beside. He briefly thought about sitting somewhere else, before shrugging that thought off. No, the problem with Lenny stems from kindness, and it can only be solved by kindness.

So Carl slid onto his usual seat, clapped Lenny on the shoulder, and offered to buy him a beer.

“You didn’t offer me a beer!” Homer complained.

“Well, I owe Lenny one. He invited me over to watch a movie on his nice TV the other night.”

“You didn’t invite me over!” Homer turned on Lenny, apparently in the ‘angry’ stage of drinking.

“Last time you came over, you ate my prized gardenia!” Lenny retorted, as Moe placed their mugs on the bar. “Thanks buddy!” he said, clinking his with Carl’s.

“Anytime, Lenny,” Carl smiled, taking his first sip. They got about three beers in before he felt loosened up. Homer had calmed down by that point, and was dancing obnoxiously to a rock song on the jukebox.

“Care for a dance?” Carl offered, noticing Lenny had been tapping his foot along to the music.

“Sure, why not?” Lenny agreed.

They got up and showed off their embarrassing middle-aged guy moves, while Barney clapped appreciatively and whistled. Homer had taken off his shirt and was making a real ass of himself, but Lenny and Carl remained in their own little world. They frequently were on the same wave length, and tuned out lesser distractions to focus on one another. It was little things, like ignoring Burns in a company meeting to start playing rock-paper-scissors, or missing a play at an Isotopes game to finish telling a story. And tonight was no different. They weren’t dancing particularly closely or intimately, but for Lenny and Carl, they were the only two people in the room.

The song ended, far too soon in Carl’s opinion, and they headed back to their seats. Lenny was looking a bit tired, and Carl was afraid he was running out of time to make a move before his friend headed home for the night.

“Hey, wait,” he called, reaching out for Lenny’s arm, trying to stop him. “Do you- I mean, can you come outside with me for a minute? I wanted to show you something.”

“Yeah, sure,” Lenny said, shrugging. He was always so casual and laid-back about things, which helped make him so hard to read. Did he always go along with Carl because he liked Carl? Or was he just naturally this agreeable? Well, now Carl had him outside, standing on the sidewalk, slightly chilled from the wind, trying to think of a reason to be there. They both stuffed their hands in their pockets, and Lenny rocked on his heels.

“Y'know what I see when I look at the stars?” Lenny asked, looking skyward.

Carl shook his head.

“You. I see your face, Carl. It’s funny. I’ve seen your face everyday for my whole life, I try looking away for one minute, and the universe shows it to me anyway. It’s like it’s a sign or something.”

“A sign for what?” Carl asked curiously.

“I dunno,” Lenny said, shrugging again. “Like, we’re meant to be together, maybe. Or that I’m on the right path, since you’re still here by my side.”

Carl took a deep breath. “I think we are supposed to be together. Or, at least, I want us to be together. More than we already are.”

“Carl Carlson!” Lenny gasped, looking back at his friend, as if seeing him for the first time. He pulled one hand out of his pocket and held it out, waiting. Carl did the same, and they held hands simply, for a moment.

Until the moment was ruined by Homer cheering from the doorway.


End file.
